Four Times Nate Catches Chuck and Blair
by nygirl26
Summary: An AU look at events from 1.07-1.10. What if Nate was slightly less oblivious, and caught on to what was going on between Chuck and Blair? R&R!


**Four Times Nate Catches Chuck and Blair (And One Time He Doesn't)**

**A/N: **My first GG story! I'm super nervous, because I only began watching the show this season- I tried to avoid it as long as I could since I'm older than the characters (but younger than the actors). And though I caught up on the first two seasons, I admittedly focused on the Chuck/Blair scenes, so any constructive criticism on characterization would be greatly appreciated. I know this is a little old school, as all the action takes place between 1.07 and 1.10, but my new obsession is C/B with a side of jealous Nate. So, sorry about the longest A/N ever, on to the story- hope you enjoy :o)

**Disclaimer: **Obviously I own none of this. If I had any claim over Gossip Girl or it's actors, Ed Westwick and I would be playing the Naughty Waiter Chuck game from 3.01

**I.**

Nate knows he fucked up. There's no question about it. Because Serena was nice, she was fun, she was a breath of fresh air. But when it comes down to it, Nate likes to be comfortable. Serena is a brand new pair of Italian, leather shoes, exotic and breathtaking and Blair is your favorite pair of sneakers, albeit designer sneakers, worn in to perfection, molded around your feet. It's not a virtue, to be so boring, so fearful of the unknown, but it is who he is. And so this is how he finds himself waiting outside of Blair's building, hours after their breakup. He sees the familiar Bass limo appear, and he is beyond grateful for his best friend. Chuck had taken care of her, maybe even helped smooth things over, of this he was sure. Nate assumed Chuck had sent Blair home alone, and so was doubly shocked to see his less-than-respectful best friend exit the car and stride toward the other side, opening it for Blair. She must have been even more upset than he assumed, for Chuck to be taking such good care of her. He made a mental note to treat his friend to something soon, an expensive bottle of scotch, some quality weed- maybe both, depending on how much he'd done to get Nate back into her good graces.

In retrospect even as he stood there, mentally thanking his best friend, he knew something was off. Chuck's movements were hesitant and gentle, two things Nate had never before associated with him. Blair rose from the car, hand firmly encased in Chuck's, a soft smile gracing her lips. Nate's stomach clenched; there was something very wrong with the way she was looking at him. Chuck said something to her that garnered him a slap on the arm, quickly followed by a smirk. Nate watched, dumbfounded, as Chuck took a step closer effectively trapping Blair's body between his own and the car. No part of them touched the other, but even from a distance Nate could feel the intimacy between the two. Chuck leaned forward to whisper in her ear, eliciting a shy smile, and Nate was desperate to know what was being said. Blair leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on Chuck's cheek. She began to pull back only to stop, frozen for a second. She seemed to war with herself, momentarily, before moving forward once again and placing a slightly more passionate kiss on her companion's lips, a kiss that was eagerly reciprocated. It was more than apparent to Nate that this kiss was not a first between them. In a matter of seconds he had gone from watching a curious interaction between his best friend and his girlfriend, to watching a tender love scene played out among two strangers.

Nate stood frozen, hidden in the shadows, as Blair sauntered toward the building, more sway in her step than he had ever witnessed. Watching his (ex?)girlfriend sashay towards her door, his 'been there, done that' best friend staring at her, awestruck, only one thought surfaced in his muddled mind. _What the fuck happened tonight_?

* * *

**II.**

He didn't mean to hurt her. He never meant to hurt her, not really. But he wasn't quite sure how to fix things yet and, after a decade of dating, he wasn't sure how to interact with Blair as anything but his girlfriend. So he hadn't shown up for her birthday party, even though she expected him, and then found himself at the center of a gossip girl blast that he knew would only further damage their relationship, or what was left of it. It was with his tail between his legs that he showed up, hours late. Nate slipped past the partygoers, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He stopped an acquaintance walking down the hall, determined to avoid any close friends, in an attempt to find the birthday girl. He knew he had missed the midnight deadline, had hurt her once again by not offering his traditional phone call or, at least, text but he hoped that the small black

box in his hand, containing a pair of diamond earrings, might aid his case.

Nate stopped short as he reached the door he had been directed to, unnerved by the heavy breathing he heard coming from the bedroom. _Oh god, was she crying? If she was in tears over this, the earrings alone might not do the trick._ He briefly thought back to the necklace she'd spoken about, but quickly dismissed it. She must have put the extravagant gift on the list for her parents sake. Nate took a deep breath and pushed open the door, completely and totally unprepared for the sight before him.

Blair lay on the bed, dressed to kill in a flouncy, frothy, black party dress, fit for the princess she is. It's not the dress that takes his breath away though, or the way it looks on her. It is the boy above her, valiantly stabilizing himself on the strength of his arms, lifting himself just over her, a leg slipped in between her own. He is kissing her everywhere he can, lips, cheeks, neck, the bit of exposed chest her gown offers, with an urgency Nate had only ever felt long ago with a sparkling blond wearing a party dress of her own. It didn't make it hurt any less though, and if Blair felt a fraction of this when she found about him and Serena, he was eternally sorry. Or he would be, eventually. Right now he saw only red and green, as he alternated between anger and a surprising rush of jealousy.

He stood her up for her birthday. He never called or texted. He was spotted embracing another blond, and it was exposed to all of their friends. Of course she'd need comfort, of course she'd feel the need to lash out. And what better way to get back at him than with his best friend? And Chuck had no filter for these things, this Nate knew. Once a girl piqued Chuck's interest, showed some of her own, he would have her, whether she wanted it or not. It was a flaw, a big, awful one that Nate had overlooked in the past, shamefully so. But know that Chuck was forcing himself on Blair, as Nate quickly convinced himself he had, Nate was enraged. _How dare he-_

"Are you sure?" The voice is soft and gentle, and though it is obviously male, Nate is positive, is one hundred percent certain, that it cannot be coming from Chuck Bass.

"Are you going to ask me that every time, Bass?"

He hears the smile in Blair's voice- the flirty tone she had used on him for years. And he is hit with the enormity of the situation. This was not the first time. Blair was no longer a virgin, hadn't been for who knows how long. Had this been going on while they were together? Had they been sneaking around, making a fool of him, both of them cheating on the relationships they shared with him, for months? For years?

"Well, you never did give me an answer last night- a verbal one, that is."

Blair giggled softly. "I think I made my feelings pretty clear."

Though Chuck's back was to him, as he still hovered over Blair, peppering her with light kisses, Nate could hear the smirk in his voice. "Yes you did. Twice."

He's going to be sick. He's sure of it. He feels the bile rise in his throat with every second he spends watching them, and he thinks, this is another feeling he can now commiserate with Blair over.

Nate retreats slowly from the room, desperate to remain unseen, to avoid an awkward conversation when he's so drained, so empty. He escapes unnoticed, but not before hearing one last remark, one that stays with him as he walks away.

"Chuck…I'm sure".

No verbal response is offered, but as he turns and walks down the hallway Nate is certain he hears the soft ruffle of a party dress being removed and tossed aside.

* * *

**III.**

On any given afternoon, Nathaniel Archibald might be slightly drunk, sort of high, or kind of pissed of. Rarely, though, did he achieve the perfect storm of all three. On those occasions, present day included, he could think of no one better to spend his time with then Chuck Bass. His best friend was well versed in all three of Nate's current states, and if Chuck wasn't in the midst of experiencing them now, Nate knew he would be more than willing to catch up. So it is with the hopes of salvaging the remainder of Thanksgiving break that Nate enters Chuck's suite, with the key given to him long ago.

He's not sure why, but the thought of Chuck having company never occurred to him. And while having guests in his suite was by no means an uncommon occurrence for Chuck, the circumstances today seemed odd. There was no doubt in Nate's head that Chuck's visitor was female- he was Chuck's only real friend and Bart was not inclined to drop by and hang out with his son, particularly during the holidays. Yet the television was on in the other room playing an actual movie, not of the adult variety- the only private media enjoyed by Chuck and his female counterparts, and one that Nate could faintly place.

Intrigued, and slightly more brazen than usual due to his vaguely altered state, Nate crept quietly into the living room, and moved stealthily down toward Chuck's bedroom, where the door was slightly ajar. The sight before him was one, possibly the only one in reference to his best friend, that was previously unimaginable. Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf lay on his bed, fully clothed and on top of the covers, her head on his chest, their legs tangled together and their hands entwined, watching a movie. _Breakfast at Tiffany's_, he realized, Blair's favorite. Nate stood in the hall, obscured by the door, his feet incapable of movement.

"So what? So plenty", Chuck murmured softly, in synch with the movie. "That's a great line" he conceded, with a playboy's admiration.

"It's not a _line_", Blair huffed. "He loves her, he means it."

"Hey, it's going to get her into bed whether he means it or not."

Blair sighs. "You just don't get it. It's probably the most romantic moment of the entire scene. Forget about the rest of the speech, forget about the big kiss at the end. After all their skirting around their feelings, all the times they let the other get away, he pretty much declares his love for her with those four words. They're better than the 'I love you' that he says a second later. They're 'I won't give up, won't let you run away this time'."

Chuck shrugs his shoulder, but pulls Blair just a little tighter to him. Nate flashes briefly to the numerous times Blair refused to let him utter a word, sometimes a breath, during their repeated viewings of the movie and then forces himself back to the present.

"I don't feel like watching this anymore."

Blair turns to him in awe. "Chuck, it's the end of the movie. I love this movie, particularly the ending, more than anything. More than a Marc Jacobs headband, with a Christian Louboutin bow, topped off with eternal power and success."

His response is his trademark smirk, and Nate wonders, momentarily, about his friend(?)'s sanity. "I'm tired of watching this."

"Chuck, this is my favorite movie, and it's about two minutes from being done. Suck it up. So what if you don't want to finish it? I-"

"So what?" He cuts her off, the closest thing Nate has ever seen to a true Chuck Bass smile now playing on his lips.

"So plenty", he whispers softly, leaning down to giver her a tender kiss.

Blair and Nate, from their separate posts, stare back at Chuck with what Nate's sure are identical looks of wonder. It's as close to a declaration of love as Chuck Bass has ever come, and all three of them are more than aware of it.

Blair opens her mouth to respond, only to be cut off by another swift kiss.

"Shh", he says softly. "This is my favorite part."

Blair pushes herself closer to him, if possible, and Chuck responds in the like. Their legs are inextricably twisted. Their hands are gripped even tighter, one of Chuck's fingers stroking her knuckles. Blair's upper body now rests almost entirely on Chuck's, her free arm wrapped around his waist. His is splayed out around her shoulders, and his chin rests atop her head. There is not a breath of space between any single point on their bodies.

Nate slowly, and softly, retreats from the scene before him, from the suite itself, feeling like a voyeur. He almost wishes he had just walked in on them having sex, he's positive it would have been less intimate than what he witnessed.

* * *

**IV.**

Nate took a deep breath, rubbed the golden heart affixed to his sleeve, and raised a fist to knock on the door before him. It opened swiftly, before he had the chance to knock, and it should have been a sign to him that nothing this afternoon would go quite as he planned.

"Hello, Nathaniel" Eleanor offers breathily as she rushes past him, eager to catch the elevator.

Nate takes her quick greeting as a welcome into the apartment, and so wanders in, closing the door behind him. He prepares to wait for Dorota, who will inevitably come bustling in, to announce his arrival, but quickly rethinks his plan. This is about the element of surprise- he will surprise Blair Waldorf, first with his presence, then with his declaration of love. She'll be beside herself, of course, and then they will resume right where they left off. They will be back to being the golden couple, and Nate's life will once again be straightened out. He's sure that this is just the move to get the ball rolling on fixing his life, and he's certain Blair will agree.

He climbs the familiar stairs slowly, mentally preparing himself along the way. '_I know we hit a rough patch, Blair. But I love you, and I know you love me. That's reason enough to try again.'_ It will be the most forceful, the most open he's ever been with his emotions, and he knows it will sweep her off her feet. She'll be thrilled to be back on track with her grand plans, and she'll be enough for him this time- she has to be. Nothing in his life has been quite the same since his tryst with Serena, and he was eager to put it behind him, once and for all. What Nate craved, above all else, was stability- knowing where he was going, and who would be beside him along the way. Serena was many things, but stable was not one of them. She was not the girl to plan a future with, he knew that now. Blair was his future and he was hers, just as it had always been.

Nate reached the top of the landing and lifted his hand to knock on her barely open door, when something caught his attention.

"You have to learn to behave yourself first."

That isn't…that wasn't…that could **not** be Blair Waldorf's voice he heard coming from the bedroom. For one thing, it was breathy and seductive- two words he did not immediately connote with Blair Waldorf. And who could she possibly be talking to anyw-

"Come on, Waldorf. We both know you like me much better when I'm not behaving at all."

Nate's heart dropped. Though the first voice was almost unrecognizable, there was nothing foreign about the smarmy drawl that replied. That was all Chuck Bass. He peered through the crack in the door, unprepared for the sight before him. His ex-girlfriend, still clad in her outfit from earlier- those tempting red tights included, was straddling his best friend, and the pair wore twin looks of desire.

"Maybe I do", Blair smiled suggestively. She leaned down to capture him in another kiss, only to find herself dismayed, and slightly miffed, when he pulled back from her. All trace of humor had left his eyes when he uttered his next words.

"Go with _me_, Blair. Let me take you to the ball."

"Funny, Bass" she murmured, leaning in once again only to have Chuck push her away.

"Why not? Give me one good reason."

Blair sighed deeply, "I could give you a million. One, I have a date. Two, _you_ have a date. Three, whatever it is we're doing, is a secret. Shall I continue?"

"For your sake I hope the rest of your reasons are more substantial, because one through three are easily solved. I couldn't care less about my date, and I know you feel the same about yours. They can escort each other. And as for the secret part…Blair, that's your call. Tell people we're friends, tell people I blackmailed you, tell them we've been hooking up- tell anyone as little or as much as you want. All I know is, when the most beautiful girl at the ball walks in I want it to be on my arm."

Blair chokes back some shocked tears, Chuck chokes back some nervous vomit, and Nate chokes back a disgusted laugh while silently praying that Blair will do the right thing.

"You're really serious. You mean it, don't you" her voice is barely a whisper and full of awe.

"Every word" comes his raspy response.

And Nate knows he has lost, lost this round at least, before ever even throwing his hat in the ring. He turns and leaves immediately, as quickly and quietly as possible. He doesn't need to see Blair throw herself back on top of Chuck, to see her cry and smile wide, to see the two take advantage of Blair's parent-free penthouse and Chuck's romantic, mood-setting words.

Still, as he exits the Waldorf residence his gaze returns to the gold pin he sports on his sleeve. It used to stand as a representation of Blair's heart, but when he looks at it he sees his own as well. Because he has not always expressed it clearly, but he does love Blair. She is his past and his future, and right now she feels like the golden ticket to getting his life back on track as well. He's never been perfect, not with her, and maybe this could mean a fresh start for the two of them. He's sure this is all Chuck's fault anyway. And as he inwardly rages at the playboy, a plan forms. He may not be as smart as his best friend, or as crafty. But he is patient and he is even-keeled- two qualities even Chuck Bass can't buy. Nate will sit back and wait for Chuck to make a mistake. It will surely happen, most likely sooner rather than later, and then he will be there to pick up the pieces for Blair. And he will make sure that Chuck Bass is there to see it happen.

* * *

**V.**

"Blair! Blair, wait. _Please._"

"Stay away from me, Chuck. I mean it. You're a selfish bastard, and if I'd ever even considered a real relationship with you tonight would have proved how incapable you are of thinking of anyone but yourself!"

He drags her into the room they'd been standing in front of and, though the last thing she wanted at the moment was to be sequestered with Chuck Bass, Blair's sense of propriety is too great for her to cause another scene tonight.

As soon as the door is shut behind him, Chuck launches into his explanation.

"Blair, you don't under-"

"No! _You_ don't understand! Chuck, I've been dreaming of this night since I was a little girl. Everything was working out just like it was supposed to."

She pauses for a moment, shaking her head at her own stupidity. She should have known that if her plans were actually panning out, it just meant that it was the calm before the storm. She takes a minute to compose herself, to wipe the tears threatening to fall, and when she begins again her voice has gone quiet. It scares Chuck far more than her screeching ever could.

"For _once_, all of the attention was on me. _I_ had the spotlight, and you knew it. And just when it was shining the brightest you, albeit indirectly, made a fool of me. I'm not Serena, Chuck. I don't get a free pass and I don't get a lot of these chances. So there's nothing you could say that-"

This is his last chance, he can feel it. He has fucked everything up so badly, that he's got to give her all or nothing now. Go for broke or go home and give up on any chance with Blair.

He goes for broke.

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

In the years to come, this is the moment both Chuck and Blair credit as the reason they are together. Through every fight, every moment of doubt, this is the moment that reminds them of what they mean to each other. The night spent together, full of declarations and promises and no sleep whatsoever, is remembered as one of the best of their lives.

And Nate was just a few feet away as it unfolded, though he never saw a minute of it. He strode through the hallways until he found someone who could tell him where Blair had run off to. As he approached the staircase, ready to once again claim Blair Waldorf as his own, a flash of gold caught his eye. It's not even her, he realizes this almost immediately, but it's too late. Though he won't know about it until morning, his last chance with Blair had slipped through his fingers as he chased after the golden opportunity that would never be his. If Nate Archibald were a Greek God, and some at Constance (and St. Jude's) insist he is, this would be his tragic flaw. He will never be able to make up his mind in time. So, though he is more handsome, more athletic, more outwardly blessed than most of his peers- his best friend, included- he will forever be behind the rest, be on the outside of the closed doors where the better man is making his dreams come true.

**end.**

Okay, I know- the longest A/N ever, and now an endnote?! Just wanted to clarify that all five of the parts are standalone, nothing's linked from one to the next.


End file.
